


cooking is love made visible

by annesslate



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Anne is oblivious, Bash and Mary are exasperated, Cooking Lessons, F/M, Fluff, Gilbert is not subtle, Missing Scene, like not at all subtle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24733159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annesslate/pseuds/annesslate
Summary: “Ah, I see. Although you don’t usually have a problem with focusing, Gilbert. In fact most of the time when your nose is buried in a book it takes anything and everything to get you out of it.”“Oh, I’m not a distraction am I?” Anne asked, turning to face him.“What?” A faint pink tint came over the curly haired boy’s cheeks. Dear Lord, Gilbert Blythe was blushing. Oh just wait until Mary tells Bash about this.***Snippets of a few of the cooking lessons that Anne had with Mary, guest starring 1 (one) Gilbert Blythe.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 104
Kudos: 521





	1. food for the soul

To say that Mary loved cooking was an understatement. 

She wasn’t sure if her passion for the culinary arts came from having to raise a fussy boy with an appetite fit for a king on her own for eighteen years, or if it came from hosting the huge gatherings of friends in the Bog, where the food was limited but the love and unity was boundless.

Either way messing around with different ingredients smuggled in from Charlottetown and experimenting various recipes on Elijah, Constance and Jocelyn had become a comfort to her, when work became too much or memories from her past threatened to consume her.

Moving into Bash and Gilbert’s home had been a drastic change. Now she was able to peruse through the aisles of ingredients for as long as she wanted and pick whatever she liked, despite the constant withering stares from the shopkeeper and townspeople that, after 33 years, she had long ago become accustomed to.

Since Gilbert was a hopeless cook and Bash, although helpful in giving little tips that he had picked up from his mother when he was younger, was also pretty much clueless, Mary was all too eager to spend her time in the kitchen by herself blending together items that gave their happy home a constant aroma of warmth and flavour.

However she missed cooking for masses of people and hearing their quiet hums of pleasure as they bit into whatever snacks and meals she had made from the few ingredients she had. So when a certain redhead had mentioned to her that Marilla hadn’t the time to teach her to cook now that harvest time was steadfastly approaching, Mary immediately offered her expertise.

“Oh Mary, could you really?”, Anne asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

“It would be my pleasure Anne. Our Doctor Blythe has forbidden me from helping with the harvest since it won’t be long now until this little one greets us,” she fondly patted her swollen stomach, “I have too much time on my hands and it would be a welcome distraction from the fact that this baby insists on making my body their personal playhouse.” 

“This is truly a thrilling prospect! I have so much to learn and you are by far the most spectacular cook I have ever met, although don’t tell Marilla I said so.” Anne gushed, “When can we start?”

“How about every Sunday at around 2? That’ll give you enough time to help at Green Gables as well.”

“Perfect! I already can imagine all the wonderful things we will create! Do you think we can use spices? We used up the bottle Bash gave us for Christmas last year, and everything that I taste now does seem so dreadfully boring.”

“I’m sure we can manage that.” Mary replied with a smile.

“Wonderful! I really must go now, Marilla will be waiting, but I’ll see you next week.”

She kissed Mary on the cheek and blew a kiss to her stomach, before bounding out the door with so much energy that Mary’s aching limbs moaned in protest at just the sight of it.

Bash and Gilbert entered a few moments later, their faces covered in sweat from the exertion of carrying the heavy logs that were stacked on their shoulders. They didn’t seem to care however and were bickering mindlessly with one another.

After placing the wood down near the stove, they collapsed into the dining chairs, panting and resting their feet on the chairs next to them.

“Was that Anne Shirley-Cuthbert I just saw walking out of here?” Bash asked, not-so-subtly sending a teasing smirk towards Gilbert, who was firmly pretending to tie the already done up laces on his boots.

“Yes, it was. She came over to bring some of Marilla’s plum puffs.”

This snapped Bash’s attention fully back to Mary. “YES! Where are they?”

“No way, not until after supper. You’ll spoil your appetite otherwise, and this soup is looking rather good, if I do say so myself, although that could just be the cravings talking. Speaking of which, I’m planning to start giving Anne cooking lessons.”

Now it was Gilbert’s turn for his attention to be caught. His head was drawn up so comically fast that Mary had to resist the urge to laugh.

“Here?” he asked.

“Yes Gilbert.  Here .” Mary smiled knowingly. “Every Sunday.”

Gilbert seemed to be deep in thought, so Mary turned away, only to catch sight of Bash attempting to sneak his hand into the basket of goods that Anne had brought over. She slapped it away with her wooden spoon.

“Ow!”

“ _After_ .”

He pouted and rubbed at his hand mournfully, looking more like a five year old who had been denied his favourite toy, rather than a grown adult.

“How come you never taught  _me_ how to cook?”

“May I remind you that I tried to teach you when I first moved in and it never worked out.”

“Oh right. We always ended up getting too distracted.”

Gilbert eyebrows shot up and he pushed himself away from the dining table.

“And  _that_ is my cue to leave. I’m going to go freshen up.”

“You’ll need to do more than “freshen up” if you wanna get that smell off of you Blythe. Almost reminds me of latrine duty back on the ship.”

“You’re one to talk,  _Sebastian_.”

Mary simply shook her head and turned back to the stove as the bickering started up again. The sound of laughter behind her however, caused her to smile and she glanced down at the bump under her apron and thanked every star in the sky for the life that she had.

* * *

Mary found herself enjoying cooking with Anne more than she had expected. She adored the redhead, of course but something about giggling like schoolgirls over a pot full of broth that they had made only worked to strengthen the bond between them. 

However, this wasn’t the only reason that Mary enjoyed these sessions so much. It was Gilbert’s constant hovering around the kitchen after Anne arrived that provided an endless source of entertainment for her.

If Bash had been around, without a doubt he would have mercilessly teased Gilbert for his obvious reluctance to do anything but stand awkwardly in the hallway that lead to the kitchen, ducking behind the banister of the stairs whenever a head of fiery hair appeared in the doorway.

But he was out working in the fields, and Gilbert, who was supposed to be studying, must have felt more at ease to do...well whatever it was that he was doing.

It started off inconspicuously enough. Gilbert “casually” walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water and admittedly spent a bit more time than it should have taken to drink it at the water pump. But then he walked back out without saying more to Anne than “Hello.” 

Fifteen minutes later, he walked back in claiming he had forgotten his textbooks on the dining table. This sparked a small conversation about the recent discovery of polonium, which Mary honestly had found rather dull, but both Anne and Gilbert had seemed to be wholeheartedly interested in the topic.

Then he had forgotten his pencils. Then his ruler, which Mary pointed out he didn’t require for Biology but he insisted he needed anyway. 

The fifth time, Mary was talking Anne through the order in which the different herbs were to be added, when Gilbert came back in saying that he couldn’t concentrate properly and was going to make a cup of tea to help.

“At 3 o’clock in the afternoon?” Mary raised an eyebrow at him. She wasn’t sure if he was meticulously planning these scheduled interruptions or if he just had a gravitational pull to Anne that couldn’t be ignored, even for something as fascinating as medical textbooks. 

Either way, she was greatly amused by his antics and couldn’t resist the urge to tease him a little. 

“Um, yeah, they say that tea helps you focus and improve your alertness”, Gilbert said, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. 

“Ah, I see. Although you don’t usually have a problem with focusing, Gilbert. In fact most of the time when your nose is buried in a book it takes anything and everything to get you out of it.” 

“Oh, I’m not a distraction am I?” Anne asked, turning to face him. 

“ _What?_ ” A faint pink tint came over the curly haired boy’s cheeks. Dear Lord, Gilbert Blythe was  _blushing_ . Oh just wait until Mary tells Bash about this. 

“My cooking lesson. Is it a distraction?” Anne continued, unaware of the insinuations of her previous question, “While I do believe myself to be a good student and a quick learner, I am so awfully clumsy and I’ve dropped too many pots and pans to count in this past hour.”

“Oh,” Gilbert’s shoulders visibly sagged with relief, “No, not at all. Um. I’m not sure why I can’t concentrate. I-uh-maybe, it’s just too hot.”

“And your solution to this was to make yourself a cup a tea?” By now Mary was smiling, unable to conceal her mirth at Gilbert’s excuses, which he finally seemed to notice. 

“Right. Um, yes I guess that won’t help much. I’ll just be off-uh-um-STUDY.”

He all but fled from the kitchen, and the rhythmic creaking of the ceiling above them informed Mary that he had given up for the day on his endeavours to talk to Anne. 

Mary almost felt bad for being the cause of the this, but it was overpowered by her amusement and the thought of the look on Bash’s face when she told him of what had happened. 

“It isn’t too warm today is it? I actually thought it was rather chilly for August.” Anne mused turning back to the pot. 

“Hmmm? Yes I suppose so.” Mary replied, shaking her head slightly at the obliviousness of the girl standing next to her. 

Ah well, there would be plenty of chances for Gilbert to interrupt them, and plenty of chances for Anne to realise that it wasn’t because of the borderline pathetic excuses that Gilbert was coming up with. 

Mary smiled. Sundays had just become a great deal more interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! I plan to do a few chapters of these, if people enjoy this, so let me know! 
> 
> I’m sure I’m not the first one to do a fic on these cooking lessons, so I just wanted to say that I have never read any fic about them, let alone taken ideas from someone else. Any similarities, I promise are unintentional and I apologise if it ever seemed that I stole an idea or such. 
> 
> Anyway about this chapter, I know Bash is usually the one teasing Gilbert, but I think we forget that Mary is his sister and so I firmly believe that she has her fair share of poking fun at how much Gilbert likes Anne. Anyway, it’s not like Gilbert is being very subtle about it. 
> 
> Feel free to let me know your thoughts on this! I hope you enjoyed reading lovelies <3


	2. the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gilbert has a plan. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t work out too well.

Gilbert picked up his books and was halfway down the stairs, before he turned around and went back up. 

A few moments later he made it two steps of the way down again before, once again, disappearing upstairs.

Finally he forced himself to walk the full way down, a determined look on his face as he reached the bottom. 

Anyone that was watching would have been confused and slightly concerned for his sanity, but what they wouldn’t know was that Gilbert had a plan. 

A stupid plan that he was 97% sure would end in his embarrassment but a plan nonetheless. 

And that plan was...to study. Or rather try to study. In the kitchen. Within three metres of Anne. And considering how that was difficult enough at school, he didn’t think he would get much studying done at all. 

But it was better than walking in every five minutes with a half formed excuse in his head that would immediately vanish the moment he saw Anne, leaving his mind blank. And it was certainly better than having to endure Mary’s all-knowing expression whenever he stuttered or blushed, desperately grasping at any valid reason for his interruptions. 

He tried to mentally convince himself that the reason he was so drawn to the kitchen whenever Anne was around was because he craved company that wasn’t Mary and Bash.   


Of course he loved them as if they were his own flesh and blood, but due to Mary’s increasing discomfort and pain of being with child, and Bash’s irritability due to many sleepless nights of helping his wife, they hadn’t exactly been the best conversationalists. 

He didn’t blame them of course, but it was nice to speak to someone without there being a danger of getting a dish towel to the face. 

Though he guessed that this argument didn’t hold out very well, as Mrs Lynde visited often enough, and yet he never strayed to the kitchen then. Rather, he barricaded himself in his room until he was sure that their nosy neighbour had left.

But conversations with Anne had always been easy. They could talk about anything, whether it be classes, scientific discoveries, how far Mary was getting along or baby names, even though he knew that Anne had her heart dead set on Delphine. 

_“She would be named after a flower and the roots go all the way back to Ancient Greece! Isn’t that just the most romantical thing you’ve ever heard? Although, Cordelia would also be a wonderful name.”_

_”Those names are great, but we don’t know if it’s going to be a girl, Anne”_

_”It will be.”_  
  
So he told himself that he missed these conversations now that school was out for harvest, and that was why he had chosen to work in the kitchen. What else could it be?   
  
He set his things down, and rearranged it three times in an uncharacteristically nervous manner. Mary chose that moment to walk in and her grin grew unbelievably wide at the sight of Gilbert’s study materials spread out on the table surface.   
  
“Studying here are you?” she asked, keeping her voice neutral.

”Yes, I figured I needed a change of scenery.”

”Alright, and you’re aware that Anne is coming any minute now for her cooking lesson? Are you sure we won’t be disturbing you?”

”Is she? No, it’ll be fine.”

”Okay then. By all means, carry on.”

Gilbert opened his textbook, knowing that Mary was well aware of his intentions, but he supposed it could be worse. At least Bash was in Carmody. Gilbert was sure that had he been here he would have never let him live this down. 

There was a sharp tap at the door, and Gilbert's nerves were suddenly back in full swing. He forced himself to start reading as Mary went to greet the spirited girl.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Anne remove her hat and place it on the dining table that he was seated at. She hadn't noticed him yet. She was too busy regaling Mary of the adventure she had had on the way over. He smiled. Only Anne could somehow get into trouble in the ten minutes it took to walk from Green Gables to the Blythe-Lacroix homestead. 

"And then an eagle swooped in out of nowhere! Oh Mary, it was so majestic. Wouldn't it be lovely to be an eagle? I would soar through the skies and visit any place in Prince Edward Island that I wanted." Her eyes took on a dreamy quality, and Gilbert was sure that she was imagining herself as said eagle. Mary chuckled and lead Anne into the kitchen.

"I thought that we could make something a bit different today, instead of broth and soup" she said, knowing this would get Anne's attention.

Sure enough Anne snapped out of her fantasies and asked excitedly, "What is it?"

"Shepherd's pie."

Gilbert immediately felt sick. He hated shepherd's pie. He had used to love it, and he remembered when Mrs Kincannon would make it on the days his dad was looking worse than usual. It became sort of a comfort food. And then his dad had died and for a week Gilbert had barely eaten anything. Anne, Diana and Ruby had brought over a shepherd's pie which he later realised was just their way of trying to comfort a grieving friend.

But back then, he had been angry. Angry at the universe for taking everyone he loved away from him. Angry at all of Avonlea for pretending to know what it felt like. Even angry at Anne, which was ridiculous because if _anyone_ understood what it had felt like to be so alone, it was her. Now every time he even so much as looked at a shepherd's pie the same feelings of grief and anger he had experienced then overwhelmed him. 

"Gilbert? Are you okay?"

He jumped to see that Mary and Anne were watching him with concern from the other side of the table. His heart rate began to slow down. He wasn't alone anymore. He had Bash and Mary, and soon he would have a niece or nephew who he was determined to love with every fibre of his being. They were his family and he wasn't losing them anytime soon. 

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry. And if I recall, Anne is already pretty good at making shepherd's pie." 

Gilbert sent her a smile, but was very confused when Anne turned almost as red as her hair and immediately faced Mary again, ignoring what he had said. 

"Should we get started?" she said, but it was obvious she was trying to keep her voice level. 

"Of course." Mary answered, sending a confused look to Gilbert. 

He frowned and pretended to start reading again. He looked back on his words and for the life of him, couldn't see where he could have offended Anne. He had complimented her, hadn't he? He tried to remember the day that the three girls had brought over the pie. Diana had said that Anne was a good cook, and after that... Anne had blurted out _"But I would make a terrible wife!"._ Gilbert almost slapped his forehead in exasperation. How could he have forgotten that?

He hadn't really thought of it much that day as his grief made it difficult for anything else to make its way into his mind. In fact he hadn't remembered until months later, when he was on the ship and far away from Prince Edward Island. He had told the story to Bash, wondering if his friend could decode what she had meant. But Bash had just laughed and laughed and had said, _"Bet you disagree with her on that, eh Blythe?"._ He had never brought it up again after that. 

_Stick to the plan Gilbert,_ his brain reminded him. _Study._

After 10 minutes however, Gilbert was beginning to realise that his plan had some flaws. He had read the same sentence at least 50 times, each time the words getting blurrier and blurrier until finally he couldn't even make out what the letters were. He closed the book in frustration. _Ok, new plan,_ he thought to himself. _Make things right with Anne, and THEN study._

He rose from the table and cautiously walked up to the counter next to Mary who was instructing Anne on how to chop an onion properly. 

Mary sent him a mischievous smile and then abruptly announced, "I'm going to get some extra spices from the cellar. Carry on Anne." 

Gilbert sent her a grateful look, although he knew he would have to pay for this later, probably in the form of a foot rub for her swollen feet. After she had disappeared, Gilbert turned to Anne, who was staring resolutely at the chopping board. He surveyed her face for a few seconds, and was surprised to see that her nose was red and there were tears on her cheeks.

"Are you crying?",Gilbert asked in an alarmed voice. He knew that she was angry at him, but he hadn't imagined that he had actually hurt her enough to make her cry.

Before he could start to feel bad however, she rolled her eyes and pointed at the counter in front of her. " _Onions_ , Gilbert. They do usually have a tendency to make a person tear up."

"Oh. Right."

An awkward silence fell upon them, and it felt so wrong that Gilbert hastened to end it."I truly did like that shepherd's pie that you, Diana and Ruby made. I wasn't meaning to sound rude or embarrass you." 

She obviously didn't believe him however and she answered, "It wasn't my idea. It was really all Ruby and we used Diana's kitchen. I barely did anything."

"Well you made the topping right? And it was really good."

"Thank you."

Gilbert was getting desperate. He was about to apologise again when Anne mumbled something under her breath.

"What?"

She blushed, but lifted her head up defiantly and repeated, "The key to a man's heart is through his stomach. That's what Ruby told me once. Is it true?"

He paused and then laughed. "Probably for Bash."

Anne rolled her eyes again. "What about for you?" 

"Oh, um," he willed his cheeks not to turn red, "Not for me. I mean, I- uh, I wouldn't care for someone just because they can cook well. I would care for someone for their personality and their heart. That's what really matters, isn't it?" he asked cringing internally at how much he had revealed. A simple "yes" or "no" could have answered that question perfectly well. He turned his head to find Anne watching him with wide eyes.

"I agree," she breathed out softly. 

Gilbert smiled. His answer seemed to have thawed her frosty attitude and she smiled back. 

"Besides, who am I to judge anyone else's cooking when I can barely even make porridge," he continued.

Anne picked up the knife and continued chopping. " Yes, Mary told me about that. I don't know how you and Bash ever managed without her.”

"Bash can make an amazing crab callaloo. It's a Trinidadian dish and he's an expert. Of course it is the _only_ thing he knows how to make."

Anne laughed. "Maybe I should be getting lessons from him then."

"Are my lessons not good enough for you Anne Shirley-Cuthbert?"  
  
Mary entered the kitchen again with a look of mock hurt plastered on her face.

"You know that there's no other teacher I would rather have! Little Delphine is going to grow up with the best chef in the world as her mother." 

As Anne bent down to coo at Mary's stomach, Mary turned slightly in order to whisper to Gilbert. "Right I've given you enough time to flirt with Anne for today. Now go up to your room and actually study."

Blushing deep red, Gilbert picked up his textbooks. "I wasn't flirting."

"Sure. Oh, and Gilbert?

"Yes?"

"You owe me a foot rub."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello lovelies! thank you so much for reading and commenting! it truly does make my day. let me know what you thought about this chapter. 
> 
> I know, I know, Bash isn’t in this chapter again, but I promise he’ll be here soon and he will have a lot to say about Gilbert’s new “study” space. 
> 
> The part about Anne “crying” is my only explanation as to why Gilbert would say “hAvE yOu BeEn ChOpPinG OnIoNs” in 3x06, because I like to believe my boy has a little more tact than THAT. 
> 
> Also this is in Gilbert’s POV instead of Mary’s because I want to do a different POV for each chapter. just thought I should explain haha
> 
> anyway I love you all and the next chapter will be up in a few days <3


	3. happiness is homemade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bash and Mary have a plan.

The rain thundered down outside as Bash settled into an armchair and made himself comfortable. He breathed out a contented sigh and grabbed a blanket from the stack near the fireplace to cover himself with, revelling in the soft texture. The only sounds to be heard in the house was the soft drumming of the rain against the windows, and the occasional thunder clap in the distance.

It wasn’t often he got to sit down and relax like this nowadays. Usually he had to be out in the fields working on the land, or he would be up studying for hours, learning everything there was to know about fatherhood.

Admittedly there were very few books that were able to properly explain to him what exactly being a father entailed. Most seemed to say that caring for the child was a woman’s job and so the role of the husband was pretty minimal.

Bash was determined that this wouldn’t be the case. At least not for his child. He wasn’t sure whether it was the lack of a father figure in his life, or whether it was the years of questioning whether his mother truly cared for him, but whatever it was, he was going to make sure that his child knew that they were loved.

He was supposed to have been preparing for harvest that day, but the dark, grey clouds that hovered on the horizon as he had awoken had told him that it wouldn’t be possible. He had fretted all morning, worrying over their crops and coming up with plans of what they would do if they were destroyed and they were left with no money.

But now as he sat in front of the crackling fire, his eyelids heavy from the restless nights he’d been having, he found his worries melting away and his mind was blissfully blank. He had just started to drift off to sleep when Mary entered the room and approached where he was sitting. She softly nudged him.

“Bash, I just wanted to let you know that Anne is coming over soon, alright?”

“She is? In this weather?”, he questioned, his eyes still closed.

“This is Anne we’re talking about. Do you really think a little rain would stop her if she was determined?”

“Rain, no. An avalanche, no. Marilla, possibly. She can be as stubborn as a mule, that woman can.”

“Well I believe Anne will be able to convince her. Anyway me, her and Gilbert will be in the kitchen.”

Bash’s eyes flew open. “Gilbert? Don’t tell me the boy is actually coming out of his room? I didn’t think we’d see him until tomorrow morning after he found that new book on evolution that his father had.”

Mary smiled. “He wants to study in the kitchen again.”

“ _Again_?”, a slow smile began to grow on Bash’s face. He looked like he had just been told that Christmas was coming early. “You mean to tell me that Blythe just happens to study in the kitchen whenever Anne comes around? How could you not tell me this?”

”I wanted to spare the poor boy from your teasing for as long as possible. But I’ve been dying to tell you for quite some time.” Mary replied her grin also widening to match his.   
  
“Right, I’m going to join you all today.” his eyes began to shine with glee. 

”I thought you wanted to get some rest today.” Mary said, raising an eyebrow.   
  
“Oh my dear Mary. Spending an afternoon watching Blythe make a fool of himself in front of Anne is _so_ much more entertaining.”   
  


* * *

  
Marrying Mary had been the happiest day of Bash's life. He couldn't remember ever feeling so much joy, as he stared down at his wife (his _wife!_ ) knowing that they would live out the rest of their years side by side. Even so, this day had to come in at a close second. Watching Anne and Gilbert dance around each other, while surreptitiously stealing glances when they thought no one was looking, brought a lightheartedness to his soul that he had been missing for quite some time.

It was only when Gilbert unknowingly began "reading" his textbook upside down, that Bash could hold it in no longer, and he let out a bark of laughter that made Gilbert jump and blush as he realised his mistake. He quickly turned the book around before Anne could notice but Bash wasn't willing to let him go so easily.

"Interesting way to read a textbook Blythe. Is that how they read them at the Sorbonne?"

Gilbert narrowed his eyes and through gritted teeth replied "Shut up Bash."

"I'm just saying, I did hear somewhere that reading upside down can increase the intake of information. Did you know that Anne?"

Anne turned around at the mention of her name, and tilted her head to the side in confusion. "No I don't think I've ever heard that before. Is it really true?"

"Why not ask Doctor Blythe? I'm sure he knows."

Mary had obviously caught on, and she did a much better job of concealing her smile than her husband, who was grinning widely as Anne turned her questioning gaze to Gilbert. "Um, well I-I'm not really sure. There is a theory that if you hang upside down and read then you remember more of the information you read but there's no scientific proof so... ". Hs trailed off and cleared his throat to indicate he had no more to say on the matter.

"That's interesting. That does make sense though. There has been so many times when I've hung from the branches of my favourite tree and read Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice, and each time I felt I could more vividly imagine the way that Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet were dancing together, as if no one else was in the room." She closed her eyes for a moment, and Bash could almost see the image she was constructing in her mind. He turned to Gilbert, about to tease him again when his mouth snapped shut.

Gilbert was watching her, with the fondest expression that Bash had ever seen. He watched him follow the movement of Anne's hands as she widely flailed them about, trying to convey to Mary how her tree was the most kind and old one in all of Prince Edward Island. He watched his eyes become entranced as she took her hair out of her messy braid to redo it, and the red waves splayed out on her shoulders like a fiery waterfall. He watched him smile as Anne forgot she was holding a knife and almost flung it across the room as she recounted her story, and the smile grew wider as she blushed and apologised profusely to Mary. 

Even Bash didn't have the heart to tease Gilbert about the look of open admiration on his face. _He really is gone for her,_ he thought to himself, _now if only he could be as bold as he's being now, then maybe all of us can gain back a few of the years we've lost on these hopeless mokes._

The beginnings of a plan began to form in Bash's mind. Even if it didn't work, at the very least it would be entertaining. He was going to need Mary's help.

* * *

"No way."

"Please, Mary, _please_ "

"Bash, I'm all for some good-natured teasing, but this plan of yours, which is slightly insane by the way, might actually cause Gilbert to spontaneously combust."

Bash sighed, glancing from the hallway where they were stood, at the curly haired boy in the kitchen. "I'm doing this for him. He needs to get his head on straight and actually do something about his crush, or we're going to have to spend the next two years watching him pine from afar. I don't want our child to _ever_ have to experience that." 

Mary looked ready to argue, but just then a clatter from the kitchen caused them both to jump. "Sorry!" Anne's red face appeared in the doorway, "I-um, I got distracted." After she had gone back into the kitchen, Mary turned back to face Bash. 

"You know what, fine. I'll help you. That's the fourth thing she's dropped today, and I'm quite sure she's not _that_ clumsy. Just save my kitchen utensils please."

Bash grinned and kissed her. "Bless you my beautiful, beautiful wife. This is going to be fun."

They walked back into the kitchen and Mary approached the counter where Anne was looking over the recipe of the pie they were making.

”Anne, could you go with Gilbert down to the cellar to get some apples for the pie? We have boxes and boxes of them from the orchard down there.”   
  
“Sure!”

Anne and Gilbert went out of the kitchen, the latter furrowing his eyebrows in suspicion as he left.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Anne hit you around the head with her trusty slate after this.” Mary called after Bash as he sneakily followed the pair. “Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you!”

Bash approached the cellar door which was propped open with a empty bucket. He carefully picked it up and allowed the door to swing shut, alerting the people inside that they had been trapped. 

Mary came over and shook her head at Bash’s gleeful smile. “It sometimes worries me how much you enjoy doing things like this. Our child is going to be a handful.”   
  
“You’re telling me you _don’t_ want to listen and see what happens?” 

Mary rolled her eyes and joined Bash, by pressing her ear to the door of the cellar. They could just about make out the surprised muffled voices of the two young teenagers. 

“ _The door shut.”_

_”Yes, I see that Gilbert. So open it.”_

_”I can’t.”_

_”What do you mean you can’t?”_

_”There’s no handle this side, you can only open it from the other side.”_

_”WHAT! Well what are we going to do?”_

_”Wait for Bash and Mary to realise that we haven’t come back and they’ll probably open it.”  
_ _  
“Probably? What if they can’t?”_ _  
_

_“Don’t worry, this has happened many more times than you think.”_  
  
A few moments of silence followed this statement.

_“Apple?”_

Bash almost slapped his forehead in exasperation. “That boy is going to be the death of me. Mary, tell me he didn’t just offer Anne an _apple.”_

”I think he did.”

”Maybe this was a bad idea after all.”

_“No, I’m fine.”_

_“Are you sure? They’re real sweet.”_

_“I remember.”_

_”What?”_

_”Oh, um.”_ Bash and Mary could hear the embarrassment in her voice. “ _The day we met. You offered me an apple. You told me they were from your orchard and that they were really good.”  
_

 _“Oh. Yeah I remember that. You didn’t take it. I thought I’d offended you or something.”_ _  
_

_”No, no! Actually I think that was the first kind thing that anyone in that school did for me, apart from Diana of course.”_

“Now we’re getting somewhere!” Bash rubbed his hands together. “Maybe Blythe has more tact than I give him credit for.”

_”I’m glad. Though I guess I kind of ruined it by tugging on your braid and calling you-well you know.”_

“I take it back. What a moke.”   
  
“You have to admit, this is very entertaining.” Mary whispered.

“True. But if Blythe doesn’t kiss that girl in the next ten minutes I will consider this plan a failure.”

”Sebastian!” 

“Y _es, I may have overreacted a little about that.”_

 _”Nope, I fully deserved it. I should have known that teasing was not the proper way to get a cute girl’s attention.”  
_  
Bash and Mary froze, and it seemed like Anne and Gilbert had as well. All was silent for a moment before finally Bash announced louder than he had intended, “Attaboy Blythe!”. _  
_

Mary covered his mouth with her hand, but it was too late. ”Bash? BASH! We’re trapped in here let us out!” Gilbert’s desperate voice called out.  
  
Mary opened the door to reveal the pair, both of them red to the very tips of their toes. 

“I-uh-apples.” Anne handed over the crate to Bash and escaped to the safety of the kitchen. Gilbert however stayed rooted to the spot. 

“Didn’t know you had it in you Gilbert.” Bash said grinning.   
  
“Bash, I am going to murder you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi lovelies! I’m so sorry for the delay! It’s been, what, a week? Two? I’ve been so busy and I struggled a little with this chapter, but I’ve got more time from now on, so the next chapter should be up quickly (fingers crossed).
> 
> Anyway I wasn’t expecting this chapter to go the way it did, but I just took the idea and ran with it. I hope you enjoyed! I had a lot of fun writing Bash and I hope you had fun reading it. 
> 
> Again thanks for commenting! Your feedback is great xxx


	4. live life with a little spice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne questions why Gilbert always seems to be around during her cooking lessons.

A flurry of snow swirled around Anne's face, as she leisurely made her way through the forest, stopping every now and again in order to admire the way the ice reflected the sunlight, giving the woods the look of a wintry wonderland. 

Anne had been delighted to wake up that morning and find that overnight, layers upon layers of snow had built up all over Avonlea, covering every path and road until all that remained was a white, velvety blanket, now only tainted by the footprints left behind from Anne's snow boots. 

After finally convincing Marilla that it was safe, she had set off to the Blythe-Lacroix orchard, but had ended up taking a small detour. How could she not, when the trees from the woods looking so enticing, each branch and bough covered in snow, looking so much like fairy dust that Anne was almost certain that she could hear Puck causing mischief as he ducked in and around the trunks. 

A quick glance at the sky however, informed her that she had been in her fantasies far too long, and she was almost certainly going to be late for Mary. 

She all but ran the rest of the way to the house, her quickened breaths coming out in frosty clouds as she swung open the door of the kitchen and arrived inside with a clatter. 

The warmth enveloped her as she attempted to brush the snow off of her coat. Mary turned around with a start, and then raised an amused eyebrow at the panting redhead in front of her. "You're late." she stated, but there was a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. 

"I know, I'm so sorry Mary! It's just so _beautiful_ outside, and I had almost forgotten what the Haunted Woods looked like in the snow. It's been a year since we've had it after all, so I went to go see it, and I must have lost track of time. Please, forgive me." Anne rambled, as she hung up her coat, and placed her hat, scarf and gloves on the table.

Mary laughed, "Anne, it's alright. To be honest, the snow's so thick that I wasn't even sure if you were coming."

"Wild horses couldn't stop me! I believe I've come much too far with my cooking skills to pause now," she frowned, "of course, Mary, you are so very close to your due date. I wouldn't want to be causing any extra stress for you..."

"None at all Anne-girl. I'm very proud of your progress as well. Which is why today, I've come up with a test of sorts." 

Anne lit up at these words. She loved tests. To her, there was no better feeling than getting the top mark from an exam that you had worked hard for. Of course, she didn't always get the top mark, and in those times, tests didn't seem as much fun. It was worse if Gilbert Blythe was the one to beat her. 

Their rivalry had somewhat dimmed since their early school years, and had become more friendly, but it was without a doubt still there. Anne would be the first to admit that she had a competitive streak, but Gilbert did as well, and it pushed her to aim higher and work harder. 

"Since I am having trouble moving around now, and I practically live in this chair, I figured I would get you to make a soup, but by yourself, without any help from me. I'll be watching over you of course. Think you can do it?"

"Yes! I am determined to make this the very best soup in all of Prince Edward Island. No, all of Canada!" 

Mary smiled and settled back in her chair. "Alright then, why don't you get started."

As Anne started pulling pots and ladles out from the cupboard, she mentally ran the recipe through her mind, trying to remember the little tips that Mary had given in order to enhance the taste. It was only when she looked around the kitchen, that she noticed the absence of a certain curly haired boy. 

"Mary, where's Gilbert?" Anne blurted out before she could stop herself. Gilbert had been around for almost every single one of Anne's cooking lessons, and she had become accustomed to the sound of his voice and his infectious laughter ringing in her ear as she cooked. 

Anne couldn't figure out why she was so disappointed. It wasn't like he _needed_ to be there. His ambition to be a doctor had to mean he was busy, how could she expect him to be? 

"He's out back chopping wood. It got so cold last night and we didn't have enough fuel for the fire. Gilbert got all worried that it would effect me since I'm quite heavily pregnant now, and so he's been out there for three hours. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if he had enough wood to build a small house. I just sent Bash to go get him a few minutes ago." 

Anne nodded and turned back to the stove, missing Mary's knowing smile. She was touched at how concerned Gilbert was for Mary's wellbeing. She supposed it shouldn't have come as a surprise, as he had always been caring and kind. It was why Anne knew he would excel as a doctor, one who would attend to anyone if they were ill or needed help, no matter their race or background. 

The door swung open again, bringing in a whirlwind of snow that settled on the tabletop. Two people walked in, and Anne had to assume they were Gilbert and Bash, as she couldn't see their faces behind the massive piles of wood they were carrying. 

With many grunts and curses that Mary admonished them for, they finally left the piles on the floor, where the top piece teetered slightly, threatening to bring the entire pile crashing to the ground. It was then that Anne finally got a good look at Gilbert, which, clearly, was a mistake.

His dark hair was covered in tiny snowflakes, and his cheeks and nose were pink, which for Anne would have made her look like a tomato, but only succeeded in giving him a rosy glow that made Anne's heart do cartwheels in her chest. 

He had been wearing his red jacket which he always wore, the one that contrasted perfectly with his curls and a scarf that was tightly knotted at his throat. Now as he removed his jacket, Anne could see he was wearing a knitted jumper that looked so warm, it took everything in her not to walk over and wrap her arms around him and breath in his familiar scent. 

It was like her brain had short-circuited, and she could only watch helplessly as Bash and Gilbert moved closer into the warmth and noticed her for the first time.

"Hello, Anne"

_It's so unfair. How can he look that good in this kind of weather?_

"Anne?"

_I would just look like I had a bad cold._

"Anne, are you alright?"

_I wonder what his hair feels like. Is it soft? Probably._

"EARTH TO QUEEN ANNE," Bash waved his hands in front of her face, finally snapping her out of her daze. 

She blushed, and could see that Bash was grinning broadly and Mary looked half amused, half exasperated. Gilbert just looked confused, and a little concerned. 

"I'm fine, sorry. I was just, uh, thinking of something." She turned away, fully aware that three pairs of eyes that were still trained on her. 

Finally, after several minutes, Bash excused himself to go take a hot bath, and he left the kitchen, chuckling and muttering something about, "clueless teenagers" as he went. 

Gilbert walked up the counter top and began making himself a cup of tea. "Did you get enough wood Gilbert?" Mary asked innocently, eyeing the ginormous pile that stood next to the stove. 

"Haha, very funny. I like chopping wood. It clears my head."

"That's understandable, except that it's freezing outside."

"It wasn't that bad. It was really beautiful actually. There's something so peaceful about freshly fallen snow. Wouldn't you agree, Anne?" 

Anne smiled and turned to face him, trying to ignore the snow that apparently refused to melt in his hair, and the fact that his hand was resting on the counter so close to hers that she could practically feel how cold they were. 

“Oh yes. It was so calm and tranquil on the way over here. And my dear Snow Queen has never looked so majestic!" She carried on her spiel of just how each icicle clung to the branches of the tree, never noticing how Gilbert was watching her with an adoring look in his eyes, or how Mary almost hit her head down on the table in exasperation. 

* * *

"Mary, I think I've finally finished! I've checked and rechecked, and I don't believe I've forgotten anything."

"Great. Bring it over, and I'll taste it."

Anne ladled out her broth into a bowl, and set it down in front of Mary, and gave an extra bowl to Bash, who was sitting next to her reading the newspaper. Her nerves hummed in anticipation. Mary was one of the people she looked up to the most, and she was desperate to prove that her lessons had payed off. 

"It's incredible Anne! It's almost exactly how I taught you."

"Almost?"

"I think there's just one step that you missed out. Do you know what it is?"

Anne racked her brain, but still came up with nothing. She was about to tell Mary so, when a voice behind her piped up.

"You forgot to toast the paprika."

Anne, Mary and Bash all turned to face Gilbert, who had been sat at the other side of the table for the past hour, studying. His face was getting red, but Anne wasn't sure if it was because of the cold this time. 

"And just how would _you_ know that?" Anne asked.

"Yes Gilbert, how did you know that?" Bash asked, a grin threatening to split his face in two. 

"I, uh, I remember Mary teaching it a few weeks ago."

'How could you have heard that? You've been studying _so hard_ haven't you?" 

"I'm in the same room. It's pretty hard not to hear," Gilbert said, shooting a look at Bash that only caused his grin to widen impossibly further. 

Anne, however wasn't really listening. She was getting irritated. Is this why Gilbert had sat in at every single one of her cooking lessons? Just so he could prove that he could beat Anne at yet another subject? She realised that it sounded like a stretch, but what other explanation could there be for his continued interruptions? Of course he was there to point out what Anne had gotten wrong. He had probably been waiting for ages for her to mess up hadn't he? _Ugh,_ the nerve! 

She turned to Mary and smiled tightly. "Thank you so much for the lesson, Mary. I'll be sure to remember to toast the paprika next time. I really have got to go, it's snowing hard now and Marilla will get worried if I'm not home soon. Goodbye!" 

With that she grabbed her scarf, hat, gloves and coat, and didn't even bother to put them on, before she sped away from the house. 

After she had made it halfway home however, she sound of crunching snow behind her caused her to sigh as she turned around to face a breathless Gilbert Blythe. She attempted to focus on her frustration, and not the fact that Gilbert's dark curls stood out spectacularly against the white hills behind them. 

Snowflakes danced around the pair, and Anne examined them as she avoided looking Gilbert in the eye. Now that she was away from the house, she was starting to see how silly she had been. Of course Gilbert hadn't been there to ridicule her. It was his house for Gods sake! He was allowed to study wherever he pleased. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to storm out of there like that."

"That's alright. I wasn't meaning to embarrass you."

"I know, you were just trying to help." She took a deep breath, "It's just, I'm still getting used to the fact that people aren't making fun of me or aren't ready to tear me down whenever I make a mistake. Back in the orphanage, the kids could be... unkind. And now I have to constantly remind myself that not everyone is like that here. That the Cuthberts genuinely love me, and that people want to be my friend. I forget sometimes and then I lash out at the wrong people. People who are only trying to be helpful."

When Gilbert didn't respond, she finally lifted her head in order to meet his eyes. His hazel irises were full of sympathy, and although it was freezing outside, Anne felt a warmth spread through her, as he nodded his head. 

_Why,_ did he always look like he had just galloped out of the pages of a novel?

"I understand, and I would never, ever mock you. And I hope you know that making mistakes is alright. God knows how many I've made."

"Really? The _perfect_ Gilbert Blythe has made mistakes?"

"Of course. I think we can both agree I made some questionable decisions the day we met."

Anne laughed. "Yet another example of my awful temper."

"I have experienced your temper first-hand, and it is one of my favourite things about you."

Anne blushed at his glowing compliment, and she desperately hoped that Gilbert would chalk the redness of her cheeks up to the cold. 

Since Gilbert insisted on walking her the rest of the way back home, they chattered about school and the upcoming hockey game. As the approached the gates of Green Gables, Anne spun around.

"Tell Mary and Bash I'm sorry that I went off in such a huff. And you must call me immediately if Mary goes into labour! I don't want to miss it."

"I promise you won't. We'll need all the help we can get, since I'm certain Bash will panic as soon as the contractions start."

"I'm sure he would." she replied grinning. The sun had begun to set behind the blanketed landscape and it gave Gilbert the impression of a fiery halo around his snow-covered head. He looked like an angel brought straight down from heaven, though Anne was sure Mrs Lynde would be scandalised if she knew she was thinking such things. 

"Thank you for walking me home. Bye Gilbert."

He smiled, and Anne's heart did a little jump, "Goodbye Carrots."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!
> 
> I'm sorry if it seems like not much happened this chapter, but this was always just snippets of what happened at these cooking lessons, so there was never going to be an actual plot haha. 
> 
> I really enjoyed doing things from Anne's POV, and I do believe that even after a few years of living with the Cuthberts, Anne would still struggle with the change that not everyone around her is trying to bully her anymore. That's not something that just suddenly goes away.
> 
> Anyway, my description of Snowy Gilbert is based off his season one look, because that is my FAVOURITE look of all time, so of course Anne was a stuttering mess when she saw him. Can you blame her? Next chapter, we'll have a little, adorable new guest star, I think you can guess who it is. As always thank you for reading and commenting!


	5. all you need is cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary's finally fed up.

_White Coral Bells upon a slender stalk_

_Lilies of the valley deck my garden walk_

_Oh don't you wish, that you could hear them ring_

Mary paused her singing and carefully raised her head slightly to check on the small bundle in her arms, and a tired smile took over her face as she saw that the adorable face peeking out in between the blankets was fast asleep.

_That will happen only when the fairies sing_

She whispered the last lyric of the song as she lay Delly down into her cradle and quietly shut the door behind her, releasing her held breath as she sunk into an chair in the kitchen. You would have thought having already raised a child would make the second time that much easier, but as Mary had found out, that wasn't exactly the case.

Apparently she had forgotten how exhausting the first few months were, as she and Bash tried to navigate the beginnings of parenthood. Already they were beginning to find their groove, and along with Gilbert's help, they had fallen into an easy pattern, but it still took every last bit of Mary's energy. 

Today marked the first day where things would begin to return to normal. Bash was finally going back out into the fields, as Gilbert had been tending to them alone for a few weeks, in order to allow the new parents time with their daughter.

But in between this, his studies and his internship with Doctor Ward, he had spiralled into a state of permanent exhaustion, although he kept insisting that he was alright. It was only when he almost fell asleep face-first into his stew at supper, that he had finally admitted that he needed help. 

A flash of red hair through the window announced to Mary that her momentary respite was over, and she barely had time to collect herself before the door was opened and Anne walked in. She opened her mouth, no doubt to exclaim to Mary about what interesting insect or captivating bird she had seen but was silenced as soon as Mary raised a finger to her lips.

"Delphine's asleep?" Anne asked, keeping her voice low.

"Yes, _finally._ And it doesn't get any easier to get her to do that each time."

"Have you tried taking her for a walk just before her naptime? I used to do that with Mrs Hammond's twins and they absolutely adored the fresh air. Mrs Hammond didn't take them out very much, so I tried to get them out into the world as much as possible. No one should have to spend their childhood stuck inside such a dark, unfeeling house."

Mary noticed the momentary shadow that came over Anne's eyes, but it was gone as quick as it came, replaced with a sunny smile. It astounded Mary how a girl, who had experienced too much of the world at too little of age, could grow up to be the kind, smart, strong, passionate and optimistic woman who was standing before her.

She knew quite a bit more of Anne's past than most people, as both girls had been taking care of children their entire lives. They had found it easy to open up to one another. It had shocked her to find out about what Anne had gone through, and ever since she had become very protective of her. 

"I'll try that next time. God knows I could do with a little fresh air myself, I feel as though I've been trapped inside this house for years."

"Yes, you should! The January sunshine really is incredible. Mary, can you believe I'm going to be-"

"Sixteen in a few months? Yes, I remember from when you reminded me yesterday." Mary smiled fondly, to let her know she was only teasing. Anne sheepishly grinned back and walked over to the stove. 

"So what can I help with today?"

"Actually I'm going to help _you_. You, Marilla and Matthew have been amazing these past few months, and I can't imagine how I could have gotten through them without you. So now, to show how grateful I am, I am going to teach you how to bake a cake, complete with icing and all."

"That sounds wonderful Mary! Oooo do you think we could use this recipe for the county fair?"

"The recipe is a little complicated Anne, we could do something easier, like perhaps lemon squares?"

"But we have so many months to practice. And we could make it together! Imagine both of us walking away from that tent with the winner's ribbon."

Mary thought about it for a moment and smiled. “Alright then! Let's try and practice now. "

"Maybe we can decorate it with things from the forest! Or perhaps maybe I can recreate the Lake of Shining Waters. Wouldn't that be just divi-"

Suddenly the door was thrown open and a panting Gilbert paused as he caught sight of Anne and attempted to even out his breathing. He leaned against the doorframe. "Oh hello Anne, fancy seeing you here," he said in a voice that _could_ have passed for casual had it not been for the large gulps of air he was forced to take in.

When she would tell the story later to Bash, Mary would never know how she was able to contain her mirth for so long.

"Did you run here from all the way across the _field_?" she managed to get out. Gilbert seemed to finally notice her and his face paled a little, but his face didn't betray any signs of surprise or embarrassment. 

"I-uh, I thought I heard Delphine crying," he said quickly. "I just wanted to check she was alright."

"Interesting, because she's been asleep for a while now. Although after the racket that you made bursting in here, I wouldn't be surprised if that was no longer the case." Gilbert closed his eyes with a grimace, well aware of how long it took to get Delly to sleep. 

Mary gave the best glare she could muster, and then walked into the bedroom and closed the door, under the pretence that she was checking on Delphine. When she came back with a wide-awake, babbling baby in her arms, Gilbert apologised profusely and offered to put her to sleep for the next week.

And if, _perhaps,_ baby Delphine had been awoken by the suppressed guffaws of her mother and not because of the actions of one lovestruck teenager, well then _maybe_ Mary left that part out. 

* * *

Mary was beginning to get frustrated. She knew it wasn't Anne's fault that she got distracted easily, it was just that this particular distraction came in the form of a hazel-eyed boy who apparently refused to leave the kitchen.

Gilbert had offered to watch Delphine so that Mary could focus on teaching Anne. She had thought this a splendid idea had first, as it would keep Gilbert occupied, and keep his "Anne-terruptions" as she and Bash had dubbed them, to a minimum. And while this was the case, it seemed to have a completely opposite effect on Anne.

Gilbert was sat at the dining table, with Delly resting in her blankets on the tabletop in front of him. For the past half an hour he had been cooing at her, tickling her stomach in order to get a happy gurgle from the little girl. It was clear to anyone who saw them that Gilbert loved Delphine with all his heart and vice versa, even though she was so young.

Mary knew that as she grew up, that bond would only strengthen. In a world where she had been looked at with disdain her entire life, it warmed her heart to know that Delphine would be surrounded by so many people who cared for her.

So really she couldn't blame the redheaded girl for becoming so entranced in the scene. 

"Right. Anne." Mary said, and she waited patiently for Anne to tear her eyes away from the dining table. There was a small, dazed smile on her face. "I need you to focus." Anne shook her head a little and then nodded. "Okay? So it's important that you remember the vanilla extract because it adds an extra flair to the cake that the judges will _definitely_ notice. So remember to-" she cut off again and sighed.

Anne's attention had once again been captured by the pair at the table. This time Gilbert's face was masked by his hands, while Delphine watched with wide eyes, her lip quivering as she wondered where her uncle Gilby had gone. Just before she could break out into tears, he emerged from his hiding place with a soft "boo!" that caused her to squeal with happiness.

Anne watched them thoughtfully, and Mary could tell she was lost in her imagination, possibly imagining a little house of dreams somewhere with curly-haired children running around. _This is hopeless,_ Mary thought to herself. 

"Anne, would you like to take a break? You can play with Delphine for a little while." Anne turned around with a start and stuttered.

"Oh well, alright, of course, if you're feeling tired Mary." 

"I'm not really feeling tired, no" Mary replied with a sly smile, before turning to go greet Bash, who had just walked in through the front door from the fields. He grinned at her as he shrugged off his coat, rubbing his hands together in order to warm them up.

"Is that Anne Shirley-Cuthbert?", he asked.

"Yes, come on. You are _definitely_ going to want to watch this."

As she returned with a smirking Bash in tow, she saw that Anne had sat in the chair next to Gilbert (who seemed very happy with this arrangement.)

"Hello! How are you today?" Anne asked the inquisitive infant, reaching over so that Delphine could wrap her chubby fist around her finger. 

“I’m good,” Gilbert answered absently as he watched the way Delphine reached out and grabbed Anne’s braid. Anne chuckled and turned to Gilbert.

“I was talking to Delphine,” she told him, her head jerking in odd directions as Delphine tugged on her braid, completely transfixed on the fiery tresses. 

Gilbert blushed almost as red as her hair as Bash and Mary covered their mouths, silent laughs spilling out. “Right." He looked around uncomfortably, his eyes landing on Delphine. "I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Delly, you’ll end up getting a slate to your face.” 

Gilbert laughed out loud as Anne’s mouth fell open in protest. "Gilbert Blythe! I would never do that to this little angel."

"But you had no trouble doing it to me?"

"Yes, well since Delphine is only a few months old, I would expect it from _her._ And you are no angel." Gilbert laughed again and held his hands up in surrender. 

"Ok, ok fair enough."

The next ten minutes were spent in quiet contentment, the only sounds being the occasional gurgle from Delphine insisting that more attention was given to her. Anne suddenly spoke up. "I've missed you." A blush immediately rose to her face. Gilbert froze and then cocked his head to the side.

"Yeah?"

Anne smiled a little and rolled her eyes, her cheeks getting redder as Gilbert chuckled. Bash furrowed his eyebrow in confusion at Mary, and she shrugged. An inside joke apparently.

Anne seemed to be struggling to come up with an explanation for her sudden statement. "Yeah-uh, I guess I've gotten used to having you around for our cooking lessons, and uh it's been strange not to have you here. But I understand of course! Someone needs to look after the crops and honestly, it was really very nice of you to offer to take over for a while so that Bash could bond with Delphine, a father's bond really is extraordinary, you know? Oh, oh of course you know. Actually I'm the one that doesn't really know, but of course, I love Matthew as if he were my father, and I were his daughter and-" 

"Anne?" 

She cut off and faced Gilbert, who now had an amused smile. 

"Honestly, it's a relief not to have to farm so much anymore. I'm glad that I chose to pursue a vocation that I know I'll love. Just the thought of spending the rest of my days as a country farmer brings me dread."

"I understand that _._ You know that the minister once told me that because I was a woman, my job was to be a wife. And maybe to some people, that's appealing, but to me, it just sounds so...so... _dull._ How am I supposed to be the Bride of Adventure if I am forced to stay at home all home every day making soup?"

At this Bash laughed out loud, but the pair were too wrapped up in their conversation to notice. 

"I guess that's why I study so much. So that when I look back... I won't have any regrets of what my life could've been."

"Yes. Exactly. No regrets." Anne breathed and the two locked eyes. A silence descended over the kitchen as both Anne and Gilbert seemed to forget that anyone else was in the room, and both leaned in slightly. Their eyes searched one another's and the look of open vulnerability on both of their faces made Mary feel as though she was intruding on a personal moment.

She was about to drag Bash so that they could sneak out of the room as quietly as possible, in hopes that the two would _finally_ sort out their feelings, when a cry pierced through the electrified silence, shattering the moment, and causing all the people in the room to jump. 

Delphine began at wail, having gotten bored since Anne and Gilbert were no longer focused on her. Bash quickly crossed the room, picked her up and rocked her gently, soothing her until her cries had subsided. Mary cleared her throat and looked at the two teenagers both of whom had jumped back quickly into their seats, and were now sitting red-faced, looking anywhere but at each other. 

Anne offered to take Delly for a walk through the orchard, and the pair left the kitchen, the latter babbling happily, completely unaware of the moment she had interrupted. Mary turned back to Gilbert, who was nervously running his fingers through his curls, staring wistfully at the door that had just swung shut. He left, insisting that he needed to lie down, and he went upstairs.

"Well at least we've learned one thing today." Bash said, as he sat down at the table.

"And what's that? That Delly has _awful_ timing?" Mary sighed.

"No," Bash turned around, a grin spreading across his face, "There's no _way_ that he can deny that it was a love letter now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it lovelies! 
> 
> Some of you may be cursing me for not revealing Anne and Gilbert's feelings, however, I wanted this to be canon compliant. But I added that almost kiss just for you guys! <3
> 
> Can you tell I had loads of fun writing the Gilbert and Delly scenes? I love them SO much. I also feel like we were robbed of Anne and Mary's relationship, so I tried to add that as well. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I have written another oneshot so go check that out if you like.
> 
> thank you for reading and every single comment has made me smile so much!


End file.
